10 Reasons Why Android Is Making Google the Next Apple

News Analysis: Google's Android platform is becoming more successful by the day. And all the while, Google is becoming the next Apple because of it. Take a look at 10 reasons why Google is becoming more like Apple each day.

In
the mobile business, Google and Apple get all the attention. And although RIM
is easily besting both companies to this point, it's becoming clear that going
forward, only the iPhone and Android-based devices will lead the way.
That's
not necessarily a bad thing. Both companies have a strong desire to be the best
in the market. They also seem to understand what both consumers and enterprise
customers are looking for in their products. In other words, Apple and Google
are becoming awfully similar.

But
that's by design. Thanks to Android, Google is becoming the next Apple in the mobile
world. The company has used
Android to show the world that it can do more than offer a search service
and deliver advertising to Web companies. It has shown that if it wants to
branch out into the consumer market and take on a juggernaut like Apple (or
Microsoft, for that matter), it has the ability and vision to do so.

It's
commendable. But it also speaks to what Google has become. Gone are the days
when the company was content to be the big name online. Today, Google wants to
be bigger than Apple and Microsoft-combined.
And it's trying to achieve that by becoming the next Apple. This
is how:

1. It has the feature set
Google's work in the mobile business should be commended. Although
it trailed Apple in touch capability, it quickly caught up. And now, as
the company prepares to release Android 2.2 to the masses, Google and its
partners are selling more Android phones than Apple has sold iPhones. Of
course, it should be noted that Android OS is more popular today because it's
available on many more phones. But Google's success should not be
underestimated. By delivering a high-quality operating system, it followed Apple's
lead. And now, it has established itself as the company that can offer the
software that people want. Does that sound familiar?
2. Google is a household name
If nothing else, Google has become a household name. And it has
done so by offering one of the best services in every single market that it
competes in. That said, Google was arguably a household name before it released
Android. But now that Android is out and more consumers are using it, the
search giant is becoming known for more than just its online efforts. The same
thing can be said for Apple. The company was originally a computer maker, but
thanks to the iPod, iPhone and now the iPad, it's more than that. And that has
only helped it become an even more well-known and respected company in the
industry.
3. Innovation is here
Apple made a name for itself over the past 10 years by being the
most innovative company in the industry. While Microsoft, Yahoo and just about
every other prominent company were toiling away with the same boring products
and services that they had at the beginning of the century, Apple was coming up
with something new and fresh that appealed to consumers. Google is following
that path. The company has stopped trying to just offer iterative updates to
its services and products. It's now taking cues from Apple's innovation
strategy. Not only has that helped it attract more consumers, but it has also
helped it get closer to achieving Apple-like respect in the marketplace.
4. Consumers are taking notice
If Apple is good at anything, it's being able to appeal to
consumers. Google is quickly achieving that same feat. The
company is now able to appeal to consumers and finally understand what they
want. When Android first launched, Google was a little lost. The company
didn't seem to adequately understand the desire of consumers. But it has caught
its stride. Not only is Android more user-friendly, many of its Web services
have been improved to make them even more appealing to the average person. It
seems Apple's influence has helped it with that.

Don Reisinger is a freelance technology columnist. He started writing about technology for Ziff-Davis' Gearlog.com. Since then, he has written extremely popular columns for CNET.com, Computerworld, InformationWeek, and others. He has appeared numerous times on national television to share his expertise with viewers. You can follow his every move at http://twitter.com/donreisinger.